Tag Archives: university student

A friend of a friend (props for a ‘chain-post’!) was discussing how students have a terrible habit of abusing the TUSBE system. TUSBE, for those of you who do not know, is the Toronto University Student’s Book Exchange – a website where students in the Toronto Area (including those from York University, Ryerson University and all three of the University of Toronto campuses) can post their course textbooks online, free of charge, or peruse the list of available textbooks to purchase for a significant discount from other students.

Now, it seems that students have become a bit mistaken about how the system works – and after four years, I thought it would be worth sharing with newcomers how to go about TUBSE-ing (yes, I just made that up.)

I sit here writing precariously: the guys who are active writers for this blog were up in arms at my insistence for this post, but I think their curiosity about a girl’s perspective got the best of them, and I managed to sneak in approval for this post. I concede that Surviving Studenthood is a blog about studenthood (and surviving it – I know, not so creative title! :)) but in my opinion, relationships are a huge part of studenthood, and they are worth discussing. Plus – as I discovered from last week’s meeting – any blog post about guys getting more action, is bound to be a hit.

Of course, we keep this blog rated PG (well, PG14) because although our target audience is university students, youngsters these days are surprisingly technology-savvy. So, when we say ‘action’, we mean it in the most innocent, ‘clammy holding-hands and tentative, frightened kissing’ type of action.

A friend from U of T’s UpbeaT blog passed along this fantastic question, which is definitely post-worthy:

Hi,

I have a question…

Okay, lets say you have been accepted on a conditional acceptance into the Humanities program, all your grades are okay but then you fail a subject like physics that has NOTHING to do with your desired major. So, you do your final retake and then you pass, and your average does not drop below a C- (like requested in your acceptance).

My question is…Do you get rejected if this happens? (like you fail a subject, but then have a retake and pass … do you still get rejected?)

I must admit I am a bit overweight. I used to be in very good shape, and quite skinny, but undergoing several years of undergraduate study, and the realization that food can keep you awake, my Freshman 15 went to Freshman 45. I confess openly however, that while I am now insecure about my body, I’d also enjoy being a bit overweight. I like the curves. 🙂

Recent picture-taking has revealed I am heavier than I think I am (or does the camera add 10 lbs?) and that is not a realization I was happy to confront. I’ve become a bit … wary of seeing my own picture, and tend to shy away from the camera now, but it has never been more serious than that. I love my body. Despite these positive feelings, a recent event made me insecure – leading to a startling realization that all this fat was starting to mess with my brain.

ARG! I have this new incredible new pet peeve. In the last two weeks, I have had 26 emails from fellow classmates requesting notes for class lectures. Most of them I don’t know – they approached me on the last day of class to ask for my email – or worse, they got it from someone else. They don’t have the decency to speak to me all year – and then, all of a sudden, they come buddying up to me within the last two weeks of classes.

On top of that, they email me consistently after I agree to give them notes. It is incredibly upsetting to me – how is it that these people, who didn’t have the discipline to attend class, still manage to email me twice every day?!

I have no problem with sending someone a lecture or two. Once in a while, things come up, and you miss class and you really need someone to cover with you. No biggie! I’m definitely cool with sending someone a lecture. But when someone emails me saying they need a month’s worth of lectures – or worse, half a semester, I don’t think I am being mean by drawing a line.

A friend and I got into a big discussion about the problem with hot T.A.s and Professors. Apparently, a friend of hers (wow, all my posts tend to be a chain reaction) has a hot T.A. – or rather, as she put it, a T.A. whose confidence and appeal was so sexy, she was having trouble concentrating in class.

Hmm, I wouldn’t mind stopping by that class! 🙂

Jokes aside, I thought this was SUCH an interesting topic. What would you think of having attractive administrators? Of course, selecting Professors and T.A.s based on… sexiness?… is both too subjective and arguably unconstitutional as it is considered discriminatory (props for having a pre-law friend). But when you can’t stop staring at his cute smile long enough to look at the blackboard, then Houston, we have a problem.

I work multiple jobs during the school year. Although it is a real juggling act, I consider it to be a part of studenthood – it is simply what we must put up with to fund our education. Honestly, I like my jobs – and when I go to work, I put my full effort in.

But when your job takes over your education, is that where the job goes too far?

As a University of Toronto student, I spend almost all of my free time studying. My weekends generally consist of sitting straight from Thursday night (as I have Fridays off) until Sunday night, at my desk, immersed in hundreds of pages of readings, essays, tests and assignments. I always feel like I am drowning (although, in reality, I’m generally working about a week ahead) and typically, my family sees me on the weekend for no more than about 3 hours (all the fragmented times put together), despite the fact that I live and study at home.

Not surprisingly, then, I look forward to the social events hosted by university students. It is a great opportunity to reconnect with friends, relieve a bit of stress and meet new people. Its nice to get out of the house, and spend an evening in one of the most vibrant cities – downtown Toronto

I seem to have a recurring problem, however, which discourages me from attending university social events.

This is a blog which narrates the experiences of a university student, to be a voice of student everywhere. Even if you and I live in different countries, attend different schools, and study different subjects, we are still the same. We struggle through surviving “studenthood” together, and we are all looking for an outlet to express who are we and what we believe in.

Much like the bubble in the picture, we are whole and yet, incomplete at the same time. It is the joy of being a student – in academia, but also a student of life. We have the opportunity to redefine who we are and allow our world experiences to change our own world.

This is a blog that is just itching to hear your voice. Although I may write posts stemming from my own university experience, I am confident that you, as a student, have/will experience something similar and that you will be willing to share your thoughts, opinions, and feelings so that others may learn from your “studenthood” experience.

Like adulthood, studenthood is best experienced with the warm company and laughter of friends!